Etching apparatus.



B. U. HILLIARD.

ETGHING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION IILBD MA'YB, 1911.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

A INVENTOR WITNESS ES m 71:. M

MM 0,. mud/M141.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BEVERLY G. HILLIARD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ETCI-IING APPARATUS.

IF 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BEVERLY C. HILLIARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Etching Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for etching metal plates by the use of acid; and in such connection it particularly relates first, to means for revolving aseries of metal plates to be etched in the path of a fine spray or mist of acids mechanically produced;

' second, to means for feeding acids to a rotary device having beater blades, the said device being arranged in a receptacle to trap air and liberate the same at the pointof the issuing acids in film or sheet form to said device to instantly with the freeing of the trapped air aided by the revolving device, beat the acids into a uniform finely divided mist or spray and presenting to revoluble plates to be etched; third, to provide the apparatus with an inclined trough for the acids, away from the mist forming or spraying device of said apparatus and which device is adapted to present the acids mixed with air in film-like form freed from contaminated elements of the acids deposited during etching to thereby not only hasten action of the acids on the plates but also to improve the character of the etching; and fourth, to means to readily permit of shifting of the revoluble plate-holder from its confined state, so as to be enabled to examine to thereby shift or change the clamped plates thereto.

My invention stated in general terms, consists of an etching apparatus constructively arranged for use in substantially the manner hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature and scope of my present invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1, is a vertical central sectional view through an etching apparatus embodying main features of my said invention and showing the revoluble plate-holder in elevation and also showing the manner of shifting said holder. Fig. 2, is a front elevational view of the revoluble plate-holder of the apparatus, showing the detail arrange ment thereof; and Fig. 3, is a horizontal Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 6, 1911.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911. Serial No. 625,579.

transverse section on the line w, m, of Fig. 1, showing the mist or spray forming device and means for rotating the same.

Referring to the drawings a, is a rectangular or other shape tank provided with a sight opening a and a hinged cover a having an opening'a therein and a sleeve a, through which a shaft 6, extends. This shaft is provided with a gear-wheel c, meshing with a complemental driving gear c from any source of power, not shown. On the inner end. of the shaft 6, is mounted a disk 03, carrying preferably a series of strips d and as so arranged adapted for adjustably clamping a series of plates 6, thereon,

to be etched, but only one of such plates has been shown. The shaft is pivotally connected with trunnions f, for facilitating manipulation of the same in conjunction with the cover a, to gain access to the interior of the tank, to shift, change or otherwise safely handle the plates being etched. This is necessary owing to the pungent nature of the acids used for such work. The tank a, is inclined in one portion and formed into a trough a, in which is deposited the acids. Leading from this trough is a shallow channel or way of, to a recessed receptacle a In this receptacle is mounted a revoluble spray or mist forming device g, which is preferably arranged with beater arms 9 as clearly shown in Fig. 1, so as to entrap air of the tank a, where a heater arm 9 enters the receptacle and another leaves the said receptacle, at which latter point it meets the issuing acids in film-like or thin sheet form and instantly by the liberating of the entrapped air in conjunction with the device g, the acids are transformed into a finely divided mist or spray and presented by the said device 9, continually during the time the device is in operation to the revoluble holder, carrying the plates being etched to give the very best possible form of a finely divided and uniform spray or mist to such revolving plates. The foreign matter liberated by the plates in the etching operation together with any oxids formed from the acids being used will sink by gravity into the trough a and settle in the bottom of the trough away from the useful or essential elements of the acid trough and continually flowing in film-like or sheet form in the path of the revoluble device g, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, thereby not only to present at all times a better character of acid spray or mist to the plates to be etched but also facilitating the time limit for perfect etching of the same, as compared plates to be etched and foreign matter under such an arrangement continually carried therewith, with its attending disadvantages of prolon ingthe work and producing inferior etching owing to the fact that foreign or other matter from the etching operation is continually carried therewith thus afi'ecting the strength as well as etching properties of such acids.

thus described the nature and objects of invention, what I claim 'as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. etching apparatus, comprising a tank having a -shiftable cover, a rotatable shaft carrying a plate holder mounted in said tank and shiftabl'e with said cover, an inclined trough provided in the tank having a shallow outlet therefrom to present in filin lik'e form acids to a receptacle, a rotary spra or mist forming device mounted in said receptacle and arranged to entrap air and to liberate it at the point of issue of said acids in film-like form to said device and in conjunction with the air and device, thereby to instantly transform said acids into a finel divided mist or spray.

2. An etching apparatus, comprising a tank having a cover, a shaft carrying a plateholder arranged in said tank, an inclined acid containing trough in said tank having a shallow outlet through which the acids flow in film-like form, a receptacle, a rotary spray or mist forming device mounted in said receptacle and provided with beaterarms to entrap air within range of companion arms of said device and to liberate the same at the pointof issue of the acids in filITl-like form to said device and to thereby instantly transform said acids into a uniform finely divided mist or spray and lifting by means of the arms of said device into the presence uniformly, of said plate-holder.

3. An etching apparatus, comprising a tank provided with an inclined trough for acids and a shallow outlet leading therefrom to a receptacle, a revoluble spray or mist forming device mounted in said re c'eptacle, said tank provided with a shiftable cover, a shaft extending therethrough and pivoted to trunnions and said shaft carrying within said tank a plate-holder.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses hereto.

v BEVERLY C. HILLIARD.

lVitnesses:

J. WV LTER DOUGLASS, THOMAS M. SMITH.

denies at this na'tent may be obtained 'for five cents each, by addressing" the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. c. i 

